Door-to-door sales prohibited; non-profits exempt
The Town of Columbus now has more stringent regulations in its zoning ordinance, especially for temporary vendors.
Columbus Town Council met Thursday, Aug. 18 and approved amendments to the town’s businesses regulations and zoning ordinance.
Prohibited activities in the town include any door-to-door sales, except by non-profit agencies, including children and sports’ teams. Non-profits planning door-to-door fundraising campaigns will now have to obtain a permit.
Town officials have discussed the new regulations for several months, with town council members saying requiring a permit from town hall will let the town know who is allowed to solicit at private residences.
According to the town’s business regulations and zoning ordinance, “It shall be unlawful for any person to go in or upon, or permit his or her representatives to go in or upon, any private residential premises in the town as solicitor, peddler, hawker, itinerant merchant or transient vendor of merchandise, not having been requested or invited so to do by the occupant of the private residence or premises or having procured the occupant’s permission so to do, for the purpose of soliciting orders for the sale of goods, wares, magazines or other periodicals or merchandise, or for the purpose of distributing, disposing of, peddling or hawking the same, except that non-profit organizations may undertake the foregoing activities after first obtaining a permit as provided in this chapter.”
Any peddlers, solicitors and canvassers must first apply for a permit from town hall, specifying information about themselves, the item to be sold and the time frame of selling.